Automorphic rough rubies measuring 2 and 3 mm in diameter respectively, viewed under a binocular loupe (Sri Lanka, 2013).
© BRGM - Delphine Bruyère
Your issues and needs
The quality and CSR requirements to be met by cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies sometimes involve specific analyses of mineral raw materials in order to demonstrate that they are both safe and compliant. These analyses demand a high level of expertise.
Our added value
BRGM has sixty years of experience in providing analyses and services of high technical added value and proven reliability in the field of geosciences and the environment. Through its cutting-edge analytical skills and platforms, it is able to develop new analytical techniques and protocols tailored specifically to your needs in order to:
- Characterise the physico-chemistry of the mineral raw materials in products made by manufacturers or subcontractors, whether these materials are of natural or synthetic origin (powders, amorphous silica, nanoparticles).
- Trace the origin of the mineral raw materials by isotope or mineral characterisation of major and trace elements (e.g. for gold, pigments, beads, etc.).
- Determine the origin of any foreign bodies present in products, either from the production line or from the raw materials.
- Understand the causes of any packaging defects on the bottle (visual defects, corrosion, etc.).
Purple eye shadow under the scanning electron microscope (SEM).
© BRGM - Guillaume Wille
Tools and platforms
BRGM provides an extensive and innovative range of analytical capabilities dedicated to the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries:
- Microscopy and microanalysis:
- light microscopy,
- SEM scanning electron microscopy (imaging of morphology, topography, chemical composition and crystallography),
- SEM-Raman,
- cryo-microscopy (biological samples, pastes, etc.),
- EDS (chemical microanalysis),
- EBSD (crystallography),
- electron microprobe,
- high-resolution analytical TEM/STEM.
- Infrared spectroscopy (reflection and transmission, field effect silica concentration).
- X-ray diffraction (qualitative and quantitative analysis, XRD of clay, controlled atmosphere and temperature experiments).
- Chemical analysis (FluoX, ICP-MS).
- BET specific surface area analysis, particle size analysis (laser granulometry).
- Thermal analysis: ATG, DSC.
- µ-tomography.
- Isotope platform.
Accreditation
BRGM’s laboratories are ISO 17025 accredited by COFRAC.
To find out more
References
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